J. Larry Newton credits 3-mil education tax for staffing that helped raise school grade to A

Summary

Principal Tanya Harrelson told the Fairhope City Council work session that staff paid from the city's three-mill education tax helped J. Larry Newton Elementary rise from an 87 (B) to a 92 (A) on the state report card; she outlined how the positions are used and said chronic absenteeism and English-language-learner support remain priorities.

Principal Tanya Harrelson told the Fairhope City Council work session that J. Larry Newton Elementary School used funds from Fairhope's three-mill education tax to add staff that she credits with improving the school's state report card grade from an 87 (B) last year to a 92 (A) this year.

Harrelson, J. Larry Newton Elementary School principal, said the three-mill referendum funding pays for 11 employees at her school and that the principal has discretion to allocate the school's share. "I first want to thank all of you and the citizens of Fairhope for voting for the 3 mil tax referendum for 30 years. I can't stress how much that helps all of the schools here in Fairhope," she said.

The positions paid from the three-mill funds include a math coach and a literacy coach who provide in-class professional development and work with students; a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) teacher whose classroom every student…

J. Larry Newton credits 3-mil education tax for staffing that helped raise school grade to A

Summary

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